Harry Potter and the Year of Awakening
by Spacehog26
Summary: Post DH, covering the year immediately following the last battle. Romance, fun, new places, new people, new experiences. Should be a decent length, but not sure how long yet!
1. The Morning After

**Harry Potter and the Year of Awakening**

**Disclaimer** – not mine. Most of the characters and places, and the whole universe in which this particular story is set, belongs to JK Rowling.

**Author's notes** – This is a post-DH story... indeed, it takes off exactly where JKR left us (excluding the epilogue). Naturally, if you've not read DH, don't read this one.

This is a standalone story in its own right, but it will also be a precursor to a crossover fiction that I am developing that is set four years after the Battle of Hogwarts. That story is NOT "Harry Potter and the Awakening of Truth", which has been abandoned as it is no longer valid following the release of Deathly Hallows.

* * *

Bleary-eyed, the dark haired young man in the four-poster bed opened his eyes. Fumbling for his glasses on the bedside table, he stretched, yawned, and peered through the drapes. The morning sunlight was pouring through the narrow window, highlighting the dust in the air as only summer morning sunshine can. 

To the side of the bed there was an elegant oak chair with plush cushions in the deep red colour that was present throughout the room. A half-eaten sandwich sat on a plate upon a tray on the chair. He had been too tired to finish eating it before turning in.

'How long have I been asleep?' Harry Potter mused to himself. 'From the look of the shadows on the wall, it's only mid-morning, but I must have slept for more than a couple of hours... I was _so_ tired!'

Getting out from under the covers, he found his slippers had been placed by his bed ready for him, and his dressing gown was over the back of the chair. Kreacher must have brought them from Grimmauld Place for him – he had not seen them since September. Slipping them on, he took a few staggering steps towards the door before his muscles started responding properly and enabled him to walk normally. Passing the sink, he splashed cold water on his face and arms, ran his fingers once through his unruly hair, and headed out onto the landing.

"Blimey, Harry, we wondered if you were ever going to surface!" the voice of his best friend for nearly seven years, Ron Weasley, called up the stairs. The tall, long-nosed redhead was seated in one of the comfortable sofas by the fire in the Gryffindor common room. His left arm was draped around the shoulder of his other best friend, Hermione Granger, who was dozing lightly and looked very comfortable and... _right_, somehow.

"Morning, Ron" Harry greeted his friend with a smile. Felt great to be able to smile in such a carefree way – he felt it had been several years since he'd been able to. "What time is it?"

"It's half-past ten, mate... on Thursday!"

Harry thought for a moment... it had been Monday when they'd left Shell Cottage, and Tuesday evening when they'd arrived in Hogsmeade.

"I slept a whole day? No wonder I feel so rested!"

"Yeah, you missed two Hogwarts breakfasts... you must be starving! Hermione," he nudged his sleeping companion, "wake up, love – Harry's up and about."

"Harry!" she leapt to her feet, dashed over and flung her arms around him, bushy brown hair completely blocking his view of the common room.

"Er, need air, 'Mione" Harry gasped. "Still rather sore from, well, you know..."

"Oh, sorry, of course. Seems almost surreal, doesn't it, now that it's all over? I still can't believe we made it through..." she tailed off, turning to look cautiously at Ron.

"It's OK, Hermione," Ron replied. "Fred went down fighting, as he'd have wanted. It hurts, and it's not going to get much better for a while, but we all knew what we were getting into. There are always casualties in war; Fred knew that as much as any of us. The time to mourn will come, and then we'll have to see where we're at."

"What do we know about what's happening?" asked Harry, changing the subject.

"McGonagall's going to give an announcement at lunchtime," Hermione replied. "The school's pretty badly damaged, so it will be interesting to hear what's going to happen."

"Shame, really," said Ron. "We never did get to do 7th year. Dread to think what the job prospects are like coming out with no NEWTs. Of course, I could always go and work with George, but I wish there was some way we could catch up."

Hermione beamed at him. "Ronald, you really think so? I thought it was only me who was thinking that! I mean, NEWTs wouldn't be for another two weeks, but I don't think we could cram a year's worth of work into a fortnight, at least not without time-turners."

"Doubt the Ministry's replaced the time-turners yet, 'Mione," Ron replied. "They look like they'd take a bit of work to make. Plus, there's no way I'm going to spend the next two weeks revising! We're war heroes... Harry's beaten You-Know-Who, for goodness sake! We should take some time out to enjoy it."

"Well, I guess so..." Hermione tailed off again, this time catching the smirk on Harry's face. "What?" she asked, pointedly.

"You two never stop bickering, do you?" Harry smiled. "Here we are, the day after the biggest event of our lives apart from maybe the Yule ball, and you're arguing about continuing your schooling?" Hermione and Ron both looked slightly sheepish. "As it happens, you're both right. Yes, I want to do my NEWTs – I still want to be an auror, so I'm going to need them... but I'm damn well going to rest and enjoy myself for a bit. Maybe we can study at home or something – there's plenty of room at Grimmauld place for us, and I'm sure some of the staff and our friends in the Order will help us out."

* * *

There was an apprehensive atmosphere in the Great Hall when they entered it that afternoon, having eaten quietly in the common room with Ron's family and Neville Longbottom. Kreacher and Winky had gone out of their way to put on a delicious, if understated, picnic of sandwiches and cold chicken accompanied by delicious slightly warm butterbeer. 

"Students, teachers, parents and friends," Minerva McGonagall tapped the glass with her wand and the Great Hall fell silent. The house tables were gone, replaced by neat rows of chairs facing the teachers' platform. The enchanted sky depicted a glorious blue sky with fluffy white cotton-wool clouds, looking almost like they'd been taken from a child's picture book. Harry, Ron and Hermione filed into their seats, Harry sitting next to Ginny and happily taking her small hand in his own. All eyes were on the acting headmistress, who was looking older and more drawn than Harry had ever seen her.

"It is with great joy that I stand before you today," she continued. "Great joy indeed, but not one without other mixed emotions. Yesterday marked a great victory; the Battle of Hogwarts will forever go down in history as the day the Dark Lord was destroyed. But yesterday was not just a great day, it was also a terrible day for so many. Let us pause for a moment out of respect for our fallen comrades, classmates and family members."

After an immaculately observed minute's silence, Professor McGonagall stepped up to the podium once again. "Do not fool yourself that the war is over. The Dark Lord's followers extend beyond the shores of the United Kingdom, and it will take time for all the loose ends to be tied up. But life will continue in all its fullness, and while there will be a time of great change, be assured that peace and light will reign supreme.

"It hardly seems right at this time to deal with business that is almost mundane, but it is necessary. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has sustained not insubstantial damage during the battle. The other teachers and I have therefore deemed it unsafe to keep students here until July 1st, as would be the norm. The Hogwarts Express will therefore be taking everyone home on Monday, June 1st. Over the weekend, we would ask that students would keep to their common rooms and dormitories wherever possible; however, in the spirit of school unity the room passwords have been temporarily removed, and you will not be required to stick to your own houses. If anyone wishes to share a dormitory with friends, the house elves will be happy to move your belongings. Simply put your name and the name of your roommate on your house notice board.

"Looking further ahead, Hogwarts will not reopen on September 1st." A shocked gasp rang throughout the Great Hall. "This will not, however, be a permanent closure. We have had some consultation as to how long the repairs to the school will take, and it is likely they will be completed by Christmas. As a result, Hogwarts will reopen in January as normal. I will be staying on as Headmistress for the year, before retiring next summer to spend my autumn years pursuing alternative pursuits.

"We are painfully aware that many students have not had a conventional year's schooling this year. As a result, anyone who wishes to resit this year's schooling may do so, or it may count as part of your schooling if you were able to attend at least part of the year. The choice is yours. I have been in contact with heads of some of the other wizarding schools, and I am delighted to say that Madame Maxime at Beauxbatons, Professor Baliakoff at Durmstrang, Principal Valenti at Salem Institute and Professor Toivonen at Valhalla Academy have all offered placements for a term to students who wish to spend a term of their studies in another country, provided they meet the school's entry requirements and have full parental consent.

"Each of these schools has a different focus to their education than Hogwarts, as those students who were here during the Triwizard Tournament will realise. If you wish to discuss your options, please see your heads of house. The other Hogwarts professors and I have agreed that we will also offer correspondence based tuition and tutorial visits to those students who wish to remain with their families. This is clearly not a decision to be made now, so please spend the next couple of days discussing it with friends and family. We would ask that initial decisions are made by the time the Hogwarts Express leaves on Monday, however.

"And now, with all the administration business out of the way, it is my great pleasure to invite up to the podium a personal friend of many of us, and the newly appointed acting Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt"

A loud round of applause filled the hall, accompanied by murmurings as the students turned to their neighbours to discuss where they would spend their next term. Harry and Ginny looked at each other and realised that wherever they went, it meant that they could be 7th years together.

"Thank you, Headmistress" Kingsley's strong baritone voice boomed over the hall. "We at the Ministry of Magic cannot express enough how thankful we are for the actions of your good selves here at Hogwarts. The events of the last few days have changed the face of the wizarding world forever. It is my duty, and also my privilege, to thank everyone who was involved in the battle, to offer the nation's condolences to those families who lost members during the conflict, and to make some specific awards to a number of key figures.

"Before we come to that, though, I feel I should update you with what we at the Ministry are doing to round up the Death Eaters. We believe that roughly 80 of Voldemort's..." there was a collective gasp throughout most of the hall "... forces have been accounted for, including almost all of his Inner Circle. With the willing assistance of Lucius Malfoy, we hope to round up the rest in the coming days. Needless to say, the aurors are working around the clock to see this task to completion."

Shacklebolt paused and gestured to the giant bearded figure of Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper, who brought forward a large wooden chest and placed it on a small table at the side of the podium. Once Hagrid had returned to his seat, Kingsley opened the chest with his wand, picked up something unseen from within it, and cleared his throat to speak again.

"In my years as an auror, I quickly came to appreciate that a single great wizard is no match for a great team. It is with this in mind that I call forward four Gryffindor students who, above all others, exemplify what loyalty, bravery and teamwork is all about. I am delighted to present the following awards on behalf of the Ministry of Magic, the people of Great Britain and the wizarding world at large.

"To Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, we award the Order of Merlin, First Class for seven years of fearless commitment to the side of light. To Neville Longbottom, we award the Order of Merlin, First Class, and the Alastor Moody Award for Constant Vigilance for his sheer bravery in the face of adversity. And, last but certainly not least, to Harry Potter, the Order of Merlin, First Class, and the Albus Dumbledore Memorial Trophy for services to the school. I ask that you all be upstanding and show your appreciation as they come forward to receive their awards."

The next thing Harry knew, he was on his feet, lips moist from Ginny's congratulatory kiss, and walking towards the platform, accompanied by his three classmates. The applause and cheering continued long after the four had been presented with their awards. Somewhat uncertainly, looking at Kingsley for reassurance, he stepped up to the podium and breathed in deeply. Realising that he was about to speak, the gathered throng fell silent once again.

"This isn't about me," he began. "This is for all of us. I couldn't have done it without you. Any of you. There are some people who should be mentioned here, so I'm going to do it on behalf of Ron, Hermione and Neville, 'cos I know they want to give a speech even less than I do!" A small chuckle rippled across the Great Hall.

"I want to dedicate these awards to fallen friends. To Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and Fred Weasley, who will all be missed so much. To Sirius Black and my parents, who were with me in spirit at the end. To Professor Severus Snape..." a gasp filled the hall "... who, while I never liked as a person, may just have been the bravest man I ever met. To Cedric Diggory, Colin Creevey, Mad-Eye Moody, Ted Tonks, and all those others who were caught in the middle of the war. And to Dobby, a humble house-elf, who gave his own life to rescue us from a very dire situation so that we could be here to fight the battle.

"I also want to thank some people who lived and fought but have not been recognised here today. To all the members of the DA, I salute you. Thanks to the Order of the Phoenix and the Hogwarts teachers. To Narcissa Malfoy..." another gasp "...who risked her own life for her son by proclaiming that I was dead. To Luna Lovegood and especially the Weasley family, who have made me feel welcome when no one else did, my thanks. And I have one final thing to say..."

"Ginny Weasley, I love you!"


	2. Decisions

**Harry Potter and the Year of Awakening**

**Disclaimer** – not mine. Most of the characters and places, and the whole universe in which this particular story is set, belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

**Chapter Two – Decisions**

As Harry stepped down from the podium to rapturous applause and cheering, Kingsley Shacklebolt strode over to him, shook him by the hand and spoke quietly to him.

"Nice speech, Harry… very heartfelt. I wondered if I might have a quiet word with you about your future."

"Of course, Kingsley. Or should I say, 'Minister'?" they both smiled at each other. "May I ask…?"

Harry could go no further, however. At that moment, like a pocket tornado, long red hair flying, Ginny launched herself at him, threw her arms around his waist and squeezed him in a manner all too reminiscent of Mrs Weasley's bone-crushing hugs.

"Perhaps I should give you two a minute" boomed Shacklebolt with a chuckle.

"Sorry, Minister," Ginny blushed, her ears turning red like Ron's had on so many occasions. "I just couldn't help myself. Please do carry on; I can have my wicked way with Harry later." And with a sparkle in her eye, she turned away and went over to speak to Luna. Harry opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times, giving a good impression of a goldfish; he was completely lost for words.

"Minerva told me that you wish to train to be an auror, Harry," Kingsley resumed, still smirking. "Is this still the case?"

"Yes, it's something I've wanted to do ever since the Triwizard Tournament. Guess I kind of messed it up a bit by not turning up to 7th year?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes, Harry. But yours are far from normal circumstances. We lost 17 aurors in the battle, good wizards and witches all, and several others throughout the last year." Harry looked glum. "It was hardly your fault, Harry! They were doing their job, and fighting for what they believed in; I knew them all, and they would all have wanted to go out the way they did, giving their lives to aid the winning side. The point is this: we are very short-staffed now at the Ministry. Thicknesse's efforts coupled with Dolores Umbridge's reign of terror have created holes that will be difficult to fill.

"We've accelerated the training of the more capable candidates in our auror training programme. That will certainly help fill some holes. But we need good, strong, capable wizards and witches. I'm not asking for a decision now, Harry, but I want you to think about this. The Ministry wants you, and we're prepared to make some allowances to get you into an accelerated auror training programme straight away."

"I'm very flattered, Kingsley, but these kinds of special allowances are exactly what I don't want," Harry replied. "All my life I've been dealing with being different, and now I just want to be a normal teenager for a while. I want to go and have a normal year at school with Ginny, Ron and Hermione, without having to battle Dark Lord's, dementors or any of that stuff. And then, next summer, I want to join the auror training programme in the normal way, as a fully qualified wizard."

"I thought you might say that, Harry, and I completely understand. I'm sure you can see why the other Department heads at the Ministry wanted me to make you the offer, though?"

"Yes, thank you, and it's a very generous offer. I just need some time to relax and get back to some semblance of normality."

"Of course… well, thank you once again for everything, Harry. I look forward to seeing you in the auror programme next year. Now I think you'd better get back to your little fireball!"

"Thanks, Kingsley. I do hope the Minister job is made permanent, and good luck with everything."

* * *

Later that evening, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were sitting snugly in comfy overstuffed armchairs in front of the Gryffindor common room fire, Ginny curled up on Harry's lap. From where he was seated, he couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like Ron and Hermione were holding hands in the shadow between the chairs. Harry smiled, pleased that his two best friends had finally admitted their mutual attraction for each other.

"So you two are what, a proper couple now?" Ginny asked, ever forthright. She could apparently see what was going on more clearly from her vantage point. Ron's ears turned red, although whether from embarrassment or just from the warmth in the room was hard to tell in the flickering light from the fire. He spluttered and stumbled over a few attempted words in response, before Hermione took over.

"Yes, well, it all just came to a head during the battle. We realised we couldn't bear to be separated from each other. I gave Ron a quick kiss for luck and it turned into something more than just a quick kiss! Then while Harry was asleep on Wednesday, we had a good long talk and realised how much we thought of each other."

"I'm just glad the two of you finally got it through your skulls that you're perfect for each other," Ginny teased.

"What are you talking about?" Ron retorted indignantly.

"Well, Ron," Harry chipped in "it has been fairly obvious to us, and probably everyone else, since fourth year at least! I'm just happy for you both."

Ron seamed appeased. "Really thought I'd blown it after I left you in November," he admitted sheepishly. "I was sure that Hermione would never talk to me again after that."

"I nearly didn't," she responded. "But you came back, you saved Harry, and then things got too busy for me to still be cross with you."

They sat in silence for a few minutes more, the firelight casting dancing shadows on their faces. They were roused from their contemplation when Neville Longbottom came over from one of the tables, where he'd been on the losing side of a game of gobstones with Seamus. Harry was struck by just how much Neville had grown up in the last year. He looked mature, confident and at peace for the first time since the two boys had met on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st so many years ago.

"Have you decided what you're going to do next year, Harry?" he asked. "Professor Sprout has agreed to let me serve an internship with her as an associate teacher of Herbology, but obviously that won't start until January."

"That's fantastic, Neville" Harry replied. "I'm so happy for you, and your Gran must be well pleased."

"Yeah, she's even talking about taking me to Brazil for a few weeks this summer. Apparently the plants in the Amazon jungle are out of this world."

"That's great. I don't know what I'm going to do this summer yet. I know I just want to chill somewhere for a while, maybe go somewhere in the sun for a week or two. And then, next term… well, I've not really thought too much about it. I'll go wherever Ginny wants to go, I guess."

"We've all got to go together, though," Ron interjected. "I can't imagine being at school without my best friends. So what do we think? Beauxbatons?"

"No!" Ginny exclaimed. "I'm not going to Beauxbatons. It's bad enough with girls following Harry around here. I'm not having Gabrielle traipsing everywhere after Harry and I next year – we'll never get any alone time."

"OK," Harry agreed, "good thinking Ginny, so that's Beauxbatons out. While I know Durmstrang is supposedly much improved since Karkaroff left, it still sounds a little too focused on dark magic for my liking. But I don't know anything about either of the other schools. Do you?" they all looked expectantly at Hermione.

"Well," she began, "Salem Institute is in Salem, naturally, in Massachusetts." Ron looked puzzled. "America, Ron… north east America, to be more precise, near Boston and up the coast from the bay known as Cape Cod. It's much more modern than Hogwarts, built after the Great Salem Fire of 1914. It's only appeared in fairly recent editions of "_Hogwarts, A History__"_and there's not much information on it. There was a school there before, and it's never been confirmed whether students there set off the fire accidentally, but it's one of the great Wizarding tragedies of the 20th century. The school was obliterated, and all the students perished. Unlike Hogwarts, it's not hidden from muggle view, but is disguised in plain sight as the Salem Witch Museum."

"Surely people aren't that stupid?" Ron asked.

"Well, there are probably all sorts of charms to make it look like a museum as well. But Salem is famous for witchcraft, or more specifically for what the Wizarding world calls 'earth magic'. It's become something of a Mecca for Wiccans in recent years."

"Sorry, Hermione" Neville interrupted. "You've lost me there… Mecca? Wiccans?"

"Mecca is a holy city for Islamic muggles… in Saudi Arabia I think. But the term is commonly used for a place to which many people are attracted, usually for a specific reason. Wicca is another muggle religion, based around earth magic. It's basically a muggle version of witchcraft, based around rituals and natural elements. As a result it's not as powerful as our magic, and there always has to be a balancing action. We're not really taught about it here at Hogwarts, but it's quite a big deal in some parts of the world, particularly in America from what I've read.

"As for Valhalla Academy, there's quite a bit more in _"Hogwarts, A History"_ about that. It's always had a different way of looking at things than the other schools in Europe, which is why it was never involved in the Triwizard Tournament. It's named after the hall of the slain, the Norse vision of the underworld, and they have a much more ethereal approach to the curriculum than we do here. Lots of courses are more about self-expression and mental development, rather than just being taught classes."

"Sounds cool," Harry said, and there were nods all round. "Whereabouts is it, Hermione?"

"Apparently it's mostly underground. It's built on the outskirts of a coastal town in Finland called Kemi. Just a couple of years ago, according to the latest thing I read, they relaxed the disillusionment charms on the surface structures, and it's now a castle made completely of snow and ice that muggle tourists can visit. Of course, they're completely oblivious to what goes on underneath, but it's helped them keep the school open with a useful source of outside revenue, and it also stops people getting too suspicious about all the people in the area.

"It's supposed to be a really good school academically, and has a great number of extra-curricular activities, including music and sports clubs that wouldn't be out of place in a muggle school. As a result, the students are able to integrate into muggle or Wizarding society much more easily when they finish. And as far as I'm aware, there's never been any talk of it having any dark arts associations."

"Got my vote, then" said Ginny, looking at Harry with her big brown eyes.

"Mine too, sounds like just the kind of change we need" agreed Harry, causing Ginny to beam up at him.

"I dunno," said Ron, causing them all to turn to him. "If it's made of snow, won't it be really cold?"

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione groaned, exasperatedly. "The school itself isn't made of snow! It's all in geothermic heated caves under the ground. It's supposed to be quite beautiful too."

"OK, I'll believe you. Right then, looks like we're off to Finland"

"Well," started Neville, "if that's where you're all going, d'you mind if I come too? I know Seamus and Dean are talking about going to Salem, but I'd rather be with you guys."

"Of course, Neville" Harry replied with an affirming grin. "Wouldn't be right without you there!"

* * *

Friday rose bright and cloudless, as if even the blue sky was aware that the war was over and it dared to come out again. Harry pondered that if situations had been different, a day like this would have been regarded with great joy by the students at Hogwarts. The younger students would have been playing in and around the lake, while the older ones relaxed in the grounds, shading from the sun under the many trees in the castle grounds or basking in the first real sunshine of the year on the courtyard lawns.

The mood was a rather more sombre one than usually met the first sunny day, however. The first of the funerals of the fallen warriors was taking place that afternoon, following a collective remembrance service in the Great Hall. Harry was determined to go to the services for Tonks and Remus, for Fred, and for Professor Snape. He had also agreed to accompany Ginny to the service for her classmate Colin Creevey.

The remembrance service was an emotional affair. Students, parents and guests from across Wizarding Britain and a few from even further afield crammed into the Great Hall to hear family and friends pay tributes to their lost. Harry once again found himself speaking at the podium as he paid tribute to Remus Lupin, his professor, confidant and friend. Tonks was praised both as a person by her mother Andromeda, with baby Teddy as good as gold in her arms. George reminded everyone of exactly how his fun-loving twin would have wished to be remembered, closing off his emotional speech with an explosion of fireworks that spelled out "Fred Weasley, the second best prankster Hogwarts has ever known" in lurid green letters. There wasn't a dry eye in the house as little Dennis Creevey paid tribute to his older brother, before breaking down himself and having to be led off the stage by Professor McGonagall. For nearly two hours, tributes were raised to people who had died in the battle, many of whom Harry was ashamed to admit he'd never really spoken to.

* * *

**Author's notes** – right, I'm leaving it there because I want to cover the funerals in more detail in the next chapter. Thanks ever so much to the people who've reviewed the first chapter, hope you enjoy this one as much, and reviews and criticism are always welcome. 


	3. Saying Goodbye

**Harry Potter and the Year of Awakening**

**Disclaimer **– not mine. Most of the characters and places, and the whole universe in which this particular story is set, belong to JK Rowling.

**Author's Notes** – Thanks once again for the reviews, really appreciate it. One reviewer commented that they don't really know what the story's about yet. All I can say is, be patient! We're 2 chapters into quite a long story (maybe not OOTP length, but certainly GOF length by my reckoning) and things will start happening soon. Also, as my wife kindly pointed out, I have a bit of a writer's block when it comes to writing Ron. Not sure why exactly, but anyway, that's my excuse if my interpretation of Ron seems a bit OOC.

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* * *

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After lunch, Harry and the others headed down across the Hogwarts grounds and towards the main gates, still standing despite being badly mangled during the battle. The grass was covered with small scorched patches where dark magic spells had made contact, and there were areas still stained a dark red colour. Already, however, it looked like nature was fighting back, and new growth of grass and flowers was pushing its way through.

Out of respect for those families who wished to mourn privately, the funeral services were to be held not in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, but in St. Gunhilda's Chapel, which was located round the corner from the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. They were to take place throughout Friday afternoon and evening, all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Both Madame Rosmerta and Aberforth Dumbledore had opened up their inns to the mourners, laying on enormous buffets that had been prepared by the Hogwarts house elves.

Presiding over the services was the short, tufty-haired minister who had given Professor Dumbledore's eulogy some eleven months earlier. Playing the chapel organ was a very tall wizard with a Roman nose and long blond hair, wearing an ankle-length green and silver cape. Harry was sure he'd seen him before, but not in the Wizarding world – he recognised the man from the television and vinyl record sleeves in his Uncle Vernon's collection. Somehow, the idea that his uncle had unknowingly had music from a wizard musician in his collection amused Harry, and for the first time in months, he wondered how his uncle and aunt and cousin Dudley were doing. He resolved to ask Professor McGonagall before they left Hogwarts.

The first service Harry attended was for Colin Creevey. The small coffin was solemnly carried up the aisle by Colin's Gryffindor dorm-mates, Ritchie Coote, Geoffrey Hooper, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper. As it passed the pew on which Harry and Ginny were seated, Harry reflected that in spite of Colin being an active member of the DA, he'd never properly gotten to know him. Indeed, Harry still remembered him as the tiny mousy-haired boy who'd followed him everywhere in his second year, taking photos of him at every opportunity.

Ginny, who had been much closer to Colin, having been in the same year and having been his lab partner in Potions classes, was deeply affected by the service. She clung tightly to Harry, and buried her head in his shoulder when the eulogy was read, sobbing silently. Colin's muggle parents, his father a milkman and his mother a hairdresser, looked completely shell-shocked about the whole thing, and barely responded when Harry went up to pass on his condolences to them at the end of the service.

"Must be so hard for them," Ginny said quietly as they walked out of the church, her eyes dry now but still with telltale streaks down her cheeks. "I mean, they had no real connection to this world, they can't have known what was really going on. And then for Colin to disappear one evening to come and fight in the battle, never to return. And poor Dennis, he idolised his brother." She choked back a sob as Harry squeezed her tight, knocking his glasses out of place.

* * *

Later that afternoon they all returned to the church for the commemorative service for Remus and Tonks. Harry knew this would be the service he would find the hardest to be at. Looking around the church as they arrived, he was surprised to see that Andromeda Tonks was talking to her estranged sister, Narcissa Malfoy. Baby Teddy was being watched over somewhat warily by Draco, who looked like he really didn't have the first clue what to do with him. He looked up at Harry, not with his usual sneering look of hatred, but one of almost relief as they approached. 

"Here, Potter," he said, "he's your godson, you look after him." And with that, he walked across the church to take a seat in a dark corner, clearly hoping no one would recognise him there.

"Ah, Harry," Andromeda said. "Thank you so much for being here, I know Remus and Nymphadora both thought very highly of you; they would be glad you could come. Reverend Stebbins said you had asked to deliver Remus' eulogy?"

"Yes, I felt he would have wanted that, as the closest link left to the Marauders. Remus was like family to me." He paused, as Teddy distracted him by pulling on his tie and gurgling happily. His hair was today a deep purple colour. "Poor little tyke, he doesn't realise what's going on. Still, that's probably best. Have you thought about what will happen to him now? I mean, he's my godson, and I'll do what I can for him, but I'm too young to raise a child."

"Of course, Harry. I'm sure he'll be quite happy growing up with his old grandma," she smiled. "Molly has offered to look after him whenever I need to go out somewhere or anything, and Merlin knows she has more experience raising children than anyone else I know! And then, when you are ready," she looked round at both Harry and Ginny, a knowing look on her face, "you will do your fair share of babysitting, I'm certain."

As she finished speaking, the church bell struck, signalling them to take their seats. The service commenced with a slightly strange classical organ rendition of Tonks' favourite Weird Sisters song, after which the two coffins were carried to the front and placed side by side in front of the altar.

"We are gathered here today at St Gunhilda's to say farewell to a young couple who were very much in love," the minister began. Harry felt a lump in his throat, but Ginny squeezed his hand gently and smiled up at him. "Their tragic passing has left them united in death as they were united in life, and we can feel happy that neither will be alone as they make their first steps into what lies beyond."

After a short prayer for the departed and a brief word of introduction, Harry stood up, walked up to the lectern and looked at the congregation. Every surviving member of the Order of the Phoenix were there, he noticed; even Mundungus Fletcher was slumped in the corner, looking as much like a pile of wet rags as a human being. There were also a handful of Tonks' colleagues from the aurors, a couple of witches in their mid 20's that Harry assumed would have been some of her Hufflepuff classmates, and a tall, solitary male figure that Harry didn't recognise, wearing glasses and a muggle tweed jacket. He looked like he would have been around the same age as Remus.

"Some people say Remus Lupin had no family," Harry began. "Some people say Remus Lupin wasn't even human. They are wrong. Remus was the kindest person I have ever met, as well as one of the bravest. He was a true Gryffindor, the best Defence Against the Dark Arts professor Hogwarts has ever seen, he fought hard to come to terms with a disabling disease, and he did have family. He was my family! Not a father figure, maybe, but he was like the wise uncle you go to for advice. I loved him, and I will miss him forever. He had nothing in terms of earthly possessions, but he gave everything he had.

"Remus, my father and Sirius Black were best friends throughout school. He was the voice of reason that kept the other two out of too much mischief, and the bond that they shared was closer than that of brothers. He lost everything during the first war with Voldemort; his family, his home, his friends, and he must have thought he would never love or truly live again. But Professor Dumbledore kept in supportive contact with him, and offered him a job four years ago, which is where I met him.

"Here was someone who truly knew my parents, more than anyone else I'd ever met, and someone who treated me as both an adult and as a loved family member. Few people know that it was Professor Lupin who taught me the Patronus charm, which was to save my life that very year, and on several occasions since.

"He was always unassuming, and held a deep-down belief that no one would ever love him because of his condition and the way he'd let himself go. Thankfully this was not the case. Many people here are proud to have called Remus Lupin a friend. But for one fiercely stubborn individual, that wasn't enough. Nymphadora Tonks loved him with all of her heart. She was proud to become his wife, and even more so to bear his child.

"In what could not be described as anything other than a hard year, one of the brightest moments for me was the birth of their son. Remus was utterly besotted with little Teddy, named after his sadly-departed grandfather, and it was a great honour to be asked to be his godfather. It would have been easy for Remus and Tonks to have stayed hidden and looked after their son while the war went on without them, but that was not their way. They performed their duty to the last.

"Professor Dumbledore once told me that death was 'the next great adventure'. Well, as a Marauder, Remus was no stranger to adventure. May he be remembered as a man of courage, of honour and of integrity, and may the last great adventure be one that takes him to a very special place. Remus Lupin, ladies and gentlemen. We'll miss you forever."

And at that, everyone in the congregation got to their feet in salute. As he returned to his seat, he saw the bespectacled man in the tweed jacket nod his head at Harry, then slip quietly out of the open church door. Harry wished he could follow him and find out who he was, but he wasn't about to miss Tonks' eulogy, which was to be delivered by her former partner auror and Order member, Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Kingsley paid tribute to Tonks' boundless energy and courage, telling stories of their work together, as well as anecdotes he had collected from her school friends, including some about her misdemeanours with Charlie Weasley. All too soon, the service was over and the congregation filed out into the churchyard, where a long line of people shook Harry's hand, kissed Andromeda on the cheek and offered a few words of sympathy before making their way back to one of the inns.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys left the Three Broomsticks once again. Molly walked slowly, hand in hand with her husband, her eyes dry but her face streaked with dried tears. A large lacy handkerchief was clutched tightly in her other hand. Her usually rosy cheeks were pale and she looked like she hadn't had a decent night's sleep since the battle. Bill and Fleur walked behind then, arm in arm, neither saying a word. Even Fleur's Veela aura seemed muted, although she looked as elegant as ever in her pristine black dress robes. 

George walked as if in a trance, the scar on the side of his head looking stark and garish in the late afternoon light. It was Percy, somewhat surprisingly, who walked with his arm around his younger brother's shoulders. Charlie, Ron and Ginny marched stoically behind their brothers, with Hermione and Harry bringing up the rear of the informal procession. There were a large crowd of mourners waiting in the churchyard, headed up by the twins' dreadlocked friend Lee Jordan and Verity, the girl who worked at their shop.

Bill stood up first to speak at the funeral. He talked about Fred as a child, his boundless enthusiasm and energy, the succession of pranks and tricks he and George had played on them all. Charlie talked of family holidays, of playing Quidditch in the field behind the Burrow, and their family trip to see Bill in Egypt, where the twins had spent almost the entire time pretending to be one person, and had run rings around the local wizards as a result. Percy spoke of Fred at Hogwarts, both as a troublemaker and as a skilled student at charms and potions, who drove Professors Flitwick and Snape potty with his seemingly effortless ability despite almost never handing in homework and constantly nattering to George and their friends during lessons.

"Fred was my brother, my twin," George began when it was his turn to speak. "We shared a bond closer than anyone could ever know. Yes, Fred was a prankster, we both were. But Fred loved deeply. He loved our mum and dad with a passion so strong. He loved Bill, and Charlie, and Ron, and Ginny, and Percy even when he was being a prat. He loved his friends and classmates; he loved Harry, Hermione and Fleur like they were family.

"Today's not about remembering Fred for silly games and tricks. It's about remembering Fred for his love. But let us not be sad, because Fred wouldn't want that. He would want us all to remember him for the light he brought into all of our lives. He wouldn't want us to be sad, because he lived every moment of his life to the utmost, and he died fighting for what he believed in. We owe it to Fred's memory to celebrate his life, and to let his legacy be one of enjoyment, of love, of passion, and of the desire to fight for what is right. Fred was my brother, I loved him, and I will remember him always. Whenever we think of Fred, honour his memory with a smile, because it was his deepest desire to bring more joy into the world."

* * *

It was late in the evening when Harry made his way to the churchyard for the last time. The sun had set, and Hogsmeade looked eerie in the twilight. He had left the Weasleys at the Three Broomsticks and slipped out of the side door to attend Professor Snape's burial. He paused just inside the gate of the chapel and took a deep breath. He felt a cold hand slip into his own, and looking round, he saw Hermione's brown eyes looking up at him. 

"Couldn't let you come alone," she said. "I saw you slip out, and Ron and Ginny needed to be with their family right now."

"Thanks," Harry replied. "Better get this over with."

There were only a handful of mourners in the chapel at this late hour. For the second time in the day, Harry found himself in a church with Draco Malfoy and his mother Narcissa. The hulking figure of Gregory Goyle scowled at Harry from his seat. There were a handful of other Slytherins seated in the pews, along with Professors McGonagall, Sprout, Slughorn, Flitwick and Sinistra. Harry and Hermione took a seat near the back of the chapel.

"We are here to remember the passing of Professor Severus Snape," the minister began. "Before we come to the formal part of the funeral service, is there anyone here who would like to pay tribute to the departed?"

There was a deathly hush in the chapel. It was as if no one, not even the students in his house, knew him or liked him well enough to speak for him. After a moment, Harry got to his feet.

"I would," he said, and walked up the aisle to the front of the chapel, ignoring the stunned looks on the faces of the other mourners. "It is no secret that Professor Snape and I didn't exactly see eye to eye. Indeed, we probably shared the same mutual resentment and hatred that he had felt for my father many years ago during their school years. But he was not an evil man, and it is only recently that I have come to realise how great a man he was.

"He was very close to my mother as a child, and while circumstances at Hogwarts served to force them apart, he continued to love her deeply, first as a friend, then as something more. It was Voldemort's murder of my mother that caused him to come in repentance to Professor Dumbledore, and to become a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix, reporting on the activities of the Death Eaters. Many on both sides questioned his loyalty through the years, but it never swayed.

"Professor Snape was not without fault; he could be cruel and vindictive, and he followed a dark path both during school and after it, guilty of crimes that would have seen him in Azkaban but for Dumbledore's intervention. But his killing of the Headmaster was not one of revenge or of anger; he did it to end a dying man's suffering, and to save the soul of a student who he couldn't allow to commit murder. Even to the very death, he was fiercely loyal, a man who stood by his beliefs even when all around him swayed from theirs, and his bravery and integrity should be celebrated. I wish that I were able to talk to him one last time, to say I understood and that I wished the animosity between us were over. Let us remember him not in a bad light, but in the very best one, for I can honestly say this: Severus Snape was the true hero of the war."

And with that, he stepped down from the platform and returned to his seat amid the stunned silence of all the congregation.

* * *

**Author's Notes** – Any guesses about the organist or the mysterious man at Remus' funeral? Review and have a guess! Just to give you some idea of what's going to be coming up, the next chapter will feature the return to London on the Hogwarts Express, then we'll spend a bit of time at Grimmauld Place and the Burrow, before our four main characters head off somewhere on holiday. Things will start moving a bit quicker in a chapter or two, I promise, but there was a lot to get through in these initial chapters, stuff that I felt JKR ignored or glossed over far more than I would have liked. Please keep on reading and reviewing, your views are greatly appreciated! 


	4. The Voyage Home

**Harry Potter and the Year of Awakening**

**Disclaimer** – not mine. Most of the characters and places, and the whole universe in which this particular story is set, belong to JK Rowling.

**Author's Notes** – Thanks once again for the reviews, really appreciate it. No one has yet worked out who the organist or the mystery man at Lupin's funeral were, so I'll leave that one open for a bit. They are not relevant to the story (at least not to this one – the mystery man will crop up again at some point in the future) but just a bit of fun. Anyway, time for things to start moving a little. Apologies for the Star Trek nod in the title; I'm most definitely _not_ a Trekkie, but it just seemed to fit.

* * *

**Chapter Four – The Voyage Home**

The weekend passed without great incident for the residents at Hogwarts. There were further funeral services taking place at the chapel in Hogsmeade, but they were all of aurors and others caught up in the battle that Harry and the others didn't know. Some of the younger pupils took advantage of the nice weather to paddle in the lake, but they were not brave enough to swim in it – the water had not yet warmed up from the unseasonably cold weather of the previous months. Dotted around the grounds, small groups of students tossed around quaffles. But for the most part, the students and their families kept to their towers and common rooms, save for regular trips to the Great Hall for meals.

The mood in the Gryffindor common room had been mostly sombre. Hermione had once again surrounded herself with big, heavy books and had thrown herself into research mode, gleaning as much information as she could about Valhalla Academy. Harry and Ginny were enjoying some quality time together, free from distractions and making up fast for their lost year; by day they were usually snuggling up in one of the window seats, gazing out across the grounds and beyond to the Scottish Highlands, by night curled up together in front of the fire, enjoying each other's presence and whispering sweet nothings to each other.

Mrs Weasley was still prone to the occasional outbursts of tears, but these were becoming less frequent, and her husband was always on hand to offer words of comfort and a large cotton handkerchief with a scarlet letter "W" stitched into the corner. No more were her cheeks permanently streaked with tears, and she was starting to regain her colour. Percy and Charlie spent much of their time out in the corridors, helping out where possible with minor repairs; by night Charlie was usually found with a gaggle of younger students cross-legged on the floor around his chair while he regaled them with stories of life on the dragon compound in Romania.

George was never left alone; he was usually deep in discussion with Ron, scribbling things on bits of parchment. They were often joined by Bill, who would bound across the room to where they were seated, an excited gleam in his eye, and then the scribbling would cease for a minute before continuing all the more frantically. Occasionally Fleur would pull herself away from the lacework she was busying herself with, glide elegantly across the floor to join them and contribute something to the discussion, before returning contentedly to her chair.

"What are you all up to, Ron?" Harry asked as they got ready for bed on the Sunday night. "It all seems very secretive."

"It is, Harry," Ron replied cryptically. "All I can tell you is that it's stuff for the shop."

And despite further interrogation from Harry, helped shortly by the arrival of Neville, Dean and Seamus, Ron refused to let anything further slip.

* * *

Monday morning dawned crisp and bright, the blue sky only occasionally interrupted by bright white banks of cirrocumulus clouds high in the sky. Harry and Ron rose early, washed and dressed, and put the few possessions they had with them into their trunks, before heading down the staircase to the Gryffindor common room, and on to breakfast. No sooner had they found their seats than a sharp ringing sound attracted their attention, as Professor McGonagall rapped the side of her goblet with her wand. 

"Students, parents and friends," she began. "While there will be no end-of-term feast this year, there are a few announcements that I need to make. All students will shortly find in front of them a slip of parchment and a quill. Could they please indicate their chosen school for next term and return it to their head of house immediately following breakfast? The carriages will be leaving the front of the school to take all visitors to Hogsmeade station at 10:30 sharp, please do not be late. The Hogwarts Express will depart at 11am, arriving in Kings Cross Station at approximately 7:30 this evening.

"Please do not be afraid when boarding the carriages if you see creatures pulling them for the first time. They are thestrals, and they have always been there, but they can be only seen by someone who has witnessed death, which sadly so many of you have done in the last week. They have been carefully trained by Hagrid, and are perfectly safe.

"Have a safe and enjoyable summer, everyone, and I trust that you will both enjoy and use wisely your time at our partner schools this autumn. The other professors and myself will be visiting them all at least once during the term, and we look forward to seeing you there. But most of all, we look forward to welcoming you back to Hogwarts in the new year. I have had confirmation from all relevant parties that the Hogwarts Express will be leaving from Platform 9¾ on Saturday January 9th at precisely 11am.

"And now, please, enjoy your breakfast!"

And, in a style frighteningly similar to Professor Dumbledore, she clapped her hands together and the tables were instantly piled with food, while in front of every student was a small slip of parchment with a dotted line for their name, along with a set of tick boxes alongside the names of each of the schools they could choose from. Harry filled in his name, and looked up at Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville.

"We're all sure about this?" he asked. They all nodded affirmatively, and, as one, they ticked the box marked "Valhalla Academy".

Less than two hours later, they were on the platform of Hogsmeade station, trying to stay together amongst all the hustle and bustle. They managed to find an empty carriage, shoved their trunks through the door, and were just about to climb aboard when a booming voice called out across the platform:

"Where do you lot think you're going?"

"Hagrid!" Hermione squealed, turning and running towards him. Harry, Ron and Ginny followed, and they were soon all embraced in a bone-crushing hug in Hagrid's huge arms.

"Thought you were all going to sneak off without saying goodbye, did ye?" he admonished, but his beady brown eyes were smiling down at them.

"Sorry, Hagrid" Harry replied. "Just kinda got caught up in it all."

"Ah, I understand. Now, you all take care of yourselves and each other, ye hear me? Ye can relax for a bit now, it's all over."

"Will do," Ginny responded with a smile. "Have you plans for the summer?"

"Ah, well I need to stick around here, ye see, look after all the animals and stuff. But I'm going to be spending a week or two with Olympe down at Beauxbatons. Is that where you're all headed in September? Lovely place, that is, lovely!"

"No, mate," Ron replied. "We had a good think about it, but decided we wanted to try something different, so we're off to that Valhalla place."

"Ron's right, we're all going together," Hermione continued. "The four of us and Neville, at any rate. Hopefully Luna, too. Have you ever been? Is it nice there? I've read so much about it."

"Never been yet, Hermione, no… one of my drinking buddies down the Hog's Head went there though, bloke called Magnus _something-or-other_, and he always spoke well of it. Take plenty of warm clothes though, it might be warm inside the school, but they do a lot of stuff outside as well, and it's cold with all that snow and ice around."

"Thanks, Hagrid," Harry commented. "Professor McGonagall said that the professors would be visiting the schools. Will you be coming to see us?"

"Aye, I'll be there, um…" Hagrid reached deep into a pocket of his enormous moleskin overcoat and pulled out a battered, shocking pink notebook that seemed tiny in his hand. He paused, thumbed through it for a second, then continued. "…ah, here we are, yes. Right, I'm coming up to Finland at the end of October, by the look of it. Should be there just before Halloween."

"Great," Harry replied. "Can't wait to see you there."

At that, the train's whistle peeped loudly.

"You'd better be off," Hagrid insisted, turning them physically around on the platform and pushing them gently towards the train.

"Feel free to pop in at the Burrow anytime," Ginny called as they boarded. "Mum's always happy to see you, you know how she loves people who enjoy her cooking."

"Or headquarters," Harry shouted over the hissing of the engine as it started building up steam. "You know where it is, and we're going to get the place straight; it's my house now!"

And with that, the train set off, hot steam and smoke pouring in through the open carriage window, forcing them all to take their seats, coughing and spluttering for a moment. As the train turned the first bend, they could still see Hagrid's huge figure stood on the platform and waving at them.

* * *

The journey passed pleasantly, the early summer sunlight warming the carriage nicely. When the lunch trolley arrived, Harry once again bought vast quantities of sandwiches, cauldron cakes, chocolate frogs and other sweets for them all. In response to Ginny's comments that he had bought far too much, he reminded them that all the goodies were cheaper on the train than on Diagon Alley so he was stocking up. And anyway, he added, can you really say any amount of food was too much with Ron in the same carriage? They all laughed. 

Every so often during the journey, Hermione would look up from one of her books and spout some new fact she had discovered about Valhalla Academy:

"Your dad would love this, Ron: unlike at Hogwarts, you travel there by an electric muggle train from Helsinki. Takes a couple of hours longer than the Hogwarts Express, because it's about another 130 miles, but it's an overnight journey. There's an international floo straight to Rautatieasema, the central railway station in Helsinki – the Finnish Ministry of Magic is built into the basement of the station."

"The school has close ties with Kemi church. It's believed to be the only magic school outside of South America to have connections to any religion, muggle or otherwise."

"The SnowCastle that forms the entrance to Valhalla Academy is the biggest in the world. It is rebuilt with a new design each year. Some of the staff and older students at the school help with the design and construction of it."

"The houses are not named after the founders, and there are three of them, not four. They are called Asgard, Vanaheim and Alfheim, named after realms in Norse mythology."

"Kemi is often regarded as the gateway to Lapland, which popular culture believes to be the home of Father Christmas… hmmm, lots of these muggle myths tend to actually be true in the Wizarding world; I wonder if that one is… after all, we know elves exist!"

"The most common nationality there is Swedish, although there are also large numbers of students from Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany and the UK. Lessons are taught in English, and include subjects specific to Valhalla including Perceptiveness and Mental Expansion, Non-Human Relations and Technomagic, as well as subjects uncommon to most other Wizarding schools such as Earth Magic."

"While Quidditch is played at the school, it is primarily a summer sport because it is dark for much of the winter. The main sport at the school is known as Iceball, a game similar to the muggle sport of ice hockey."

"Wait, no Quidditch?" Ron interrupted.

"Doesn't sound that way, mate," Harry sympathised. "Wonder what this iceball game is though, sounds like it could be interesting. Dudley used to watch ice hockey on the television sometimes; it's really fast moving and quite exciting."

"I guess… right, 'Mione, new research project for you… find out what you can about this iceball game, so we can see if we can practice it before we go. Don't want to be found wanting by these foreign weirdoes"

Ginny stifled a giggle. "Ron, you've never met these people, how do you know they'll be weirdoes? For all you know, they'll probably think you're a foreign weirdo!"

Ron grunted noncommittally and turned to look out of the window. "Hey, we're just coming through Watford, we must be nearly at Kings Cross. We need to decide where we're going first."

"I already spoke to your mum about it," Harry answered. "The Burrow's a long way away and the floo network's not properly back up and running yet, so I've invited you all to stay at Grimmauld Place tonight. We can sort out what we're doing after that this evening. You too, Neville, if you want?"

"Thanks, Harry… but Gran's promised to make me my favourite rabbit stew tonight, so I'm going to go home. She's taken a flat near Covent Garden since the Death Eaters attacked her, because obviously with the floo network still out we can't get back to Lancashire easily. I appreciate the offer though. She's supposed to be taking me shopping in Diagon Alley tomorrow though, maybe we could meet up then?"

"Sounds like a top idea, mate."

* * *

A few minutes later, the train slowed to a halt on platform 9¾. As soon as the smoke had cleared, the five Gryffindors jumped down from their carriage, retrieved their belongings and made their way along the platform. Saying cheerio to Neville, who saw his grandmother in her distinctive vulture-topped hat, they made their way over to the rest of the Weasley family. 

Mr Weasley proceeded to get very excited all over again as they took the Tube from King's Cross St. Pancras, and had to be physically dragged off the train by his wife three stops later at Moorgate, protesting loudly that he wanted to ride the Circle Line all the way round once before getting off. It was only when Mrs Weasley threatened not to give him any dinner that he relented and left the train. Emerging from the station in the cooling early evening air, they walked quickly away from the main road, emerging first onto Finsbury Circus, before turning into the shabby backstreet that bore the sign "Grimmauld Place, EC2".

* * *

**Author's ****N****otes** – next chapter, we return to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, and our intrepid foursome begin making plans for the summer. Please read and review – I'm getting a lot of hits but not many reviews, and I'd really love to hear what I'm doing right, and what I'm doing wrong! I'm hoping to find a bit of time this weekend to work on the next chapter, but my life gets busy again on Wednesday next week, so after that my output may fall to a chapter or so a week. Time will start moving a bit quicker in a couple of chapters, too. 


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